


Home

by GoingKnowhere



Category: The Finest Hours (2016)
Genre: Angst, Established Relationship, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Just a dash of angst, Multi, Reader-Insert, Rewrite, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-12
Updated: 2017-10-12
Packaged: 2019-01-16 14:50:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12344862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoingKnowhere/pseuds/GoingKnowhere
Summary: "The headlights did little to penetrate the thick fog that blanketed the frigid water, yet you still held onto your hope that that was just from your perspective. That the lights could be seen from far out over the black water and were acting as the beacon they were meant to be."





	Home

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Yes, I’m aware that The Finest Hours is based on real people and real events…but come on! Chris’ portrayal of Bernie is just so flippin’ cute!!! I just - he’s just so precious!!! How could I not write at least one thing for him???? That being said, this fic is based on the actors in the movie more so than the people they are meant to represent. Does that make sense?
> 
> For the most part, it does cover the scene in the movie, but I did tweak how a few things happened. 
> 
> Also, this is a Gender Neutral Reader! If you catch something that doesn’t make it gen neutral, please let me know so I can fix it! 
> 
> I've also had this posted on tumblr for several weeks now; figured it was about time to post it here :)

**_Home_ **

 

The headlights did little to penetrate the thick fog that blanketed the frigid water, yet you still held onto your hope that that was just from your perspective. That the lights could be seen from far out over the black water and were acting as the beacon they were meant to be. 

 

You needed to keep that hope, because if you didn’t…

 

_No._

 

You shook your head.

 

You couldn’t think that way.

 

A gust of winter air blew in from across the sea and you shifted, drawing your coat closer around your body before shoving your hands into the pockets. It’s been ten minutes since you’d left your car to stand before the edge of the dock. Ten minutes in which the chill had completely seeped through your clothes, freezing you to the bone.

 

Yet you couldn’t find it in yourself to care, because right now - a pang went through your heart and you bit your lip - right now your Bernie was out there, in the cold, black water trying to bring home survivors in a boat far too small for the job it was doing. 

 

> _“Uh, yes, sir, thirty-two. Uh, sir we lost our compass so we don’t know where we are; we’re gonna try to make it back home.”_

 

You could still hear his voice reporting to Cuff over the static filled radio…

 

> _“They can’t get back without a compass.”_
> 
>  
> 
> _“Not in this weather.”_

 

The disbelieving whispers of the townsfolk around you…

 

They stood with you now, on either side, in silent solidarity far down along the water’s edge. Without looking, you knew they were just as focused on the hidden horizon as you were. 

 

The thought was a comforting one; that with so many more pairs of eyes someone might see something that you could have missed. With each roll of the water, the surface glimmered under the honey-colored headlights, but beyond that the fog took over, obscuring the horizon from all on land. 

 

Shifting, you took in a deep breath as another misleading reflection dashed your hopes once more.  _No. No._ Your head dipped down and you squeezed your eyes shut in an effort to stop the sudden stinging. 

 

> _“The powers out. The whole town…the powers out.”_
> 
>  
> 
> _“They’ll never make it.”_

 

_No._

 

_Not your Bernie._

 

With a shaky breath, you finally lifted your eyes to stare back out, straining to see beyond where the glimmers faded into nothingness and then…

 

Then you realized that there was a shine that wasn’t disappearing.

 

And it was  _far beyond_  the car light reflections.

 

Your breath hitched as hope began to swell inside your heart.

 

Time seemed to crawl as the small boat slowly made it’s way closer to the pier. In your peripheral, you could see the townsfolk around you making their way over to greet the rescuers and survivors, but you couldn’t move.

 

_He did it._

 

_He made it._

 

It wasn’t until you felt an arm under your palm that you realized you’d begun moving on your own accord, pushing your way through the crowd and onto the pier. By the time you stopped in the center of the wooden structure, the boat was already getting tied up and the first of the survivors were getting pulled up and out.

 

One…four…nine… 

 

You held your breath as each drenched man - each  _not_ Bernie - passed by you on their search for warmth and dryness and comfort. With each one, you felt your heart hammer faster and faster. Your blood thrummed with anticipation as the voices of townsfolk around you faded to an indecipherable buzz. 

 

And then you noticed the crowd begin to drift away from and off of the pier. 

 

In a heartbeat you were stepping up to the edge. With misty eyes and your hands shoved deep inside the pockets of your coat, you peered down into the boat. Affection bloomed fast and all-consuming throughout your body, thawing you from the inside out at the sight of the boat’s captain resting his forehead against the pane of glass.

 

“Bernie…” His name came out as a whisper, ghosting past your lips no louder than the water lapping against the boat and pier, but it was enough. Bernie lifted his head, blinking through the water that continued to drip down his face from his soaked hair, as a myriad of emotions flickered across his face. 

 

_Disbelief…_

 

_Relief…_

 

_Wonder…_

 

_Love…_

 

The tears that had been threatening to fall for so long now finally broke past your control and you hastily stepped down into the boat. His watery blue eyes, the ones that had captivated you since the moment you first met, held your own in a heady gaze. In an instant, Bernie’s gloved hands grabbed your waist and you found yourself pulled flush against his damp body before being greeted with a desperate, toe-curling kiss.

 

_Bernie, Bernie, Bernie!_

 

His name became a mantra in your mind and your tears fell faster as you felt every ounce of love you poured into the kiss returned in kind. The thought of possibly never again having the chance to do this had you tightening your grip around his shoulders, deepening it even further. 

 

Far sooner than you wanted, Bernie broke the kiss. He rested his forehead against yours, his breath coming out in hot gasps over your lips. When your eyes flickered open, your heart stuttered when you found him gazing fondly back at you. His hand came up to lightly brush against your jaw. “Let’s go home.”

 

_Home… Home…_

 

Home… Home was Bernie. Home was this gentle, blue eyed man with a heart far larger than anyone ever expected and far stronger than the ocean storms. 

 

You couldn’t help the huffed laugh that escaped you. With a soft smile, you cradled his face in your hands and brushed a chaste kiss across his lips. Not trusting your voice, it was the only way to convey how you felt. 

 

And it was enough.

 

You felt the smile in Bernie’s return caress before he helped you back up onto the pier and guided you away, your body pressed close to his side. 

 

“We still good for April?” He murmured. 

 

You smiled and rested your head against his shoulder. 

 

Yes, home was Bernie and the promised future you were to share together. 

 

_;)_

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are much appreciated!! ♥
> 
> +
> 
> You can also find me on [tumblr](http://goingknowherewastaken.tumblr.com/)!!


End file.
